University of Alabama Student Government Association looking at student attendance at Arkansas game

Tuesday

Oct 22, 2013 at 12:01 AM

University of Alabama Student Government Association representatives plan to meet with UA administrators to review student attendance during Saturday's home football game against Arkansas following early departures in the student section.

By Ed EnochStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

University of Alabama Student Government Association representatives plan to meet with UA administrators to review student attendance during Saturday's home football game against Arkansas following early departures in the student section. The move comes after SGA President Jimmy Taylor sent an email last week to student organizations — especially those with block seating — encouraging them to remind members to remain for all four quarters of Alabama's home football games for the remainder of the season. Taylor warned excessive early departures could lead to organizations losing block seating, noting that organizations with reserved seating had signed agreements to stay until the end of the games.Student organizations registered with the university apply annually with the SGA for an allotment of reserved seating in the student section of Bryant-Denny Stadium.The SGA handbook for block seating lists excessive tardiness or early departure from the stadium as unacceptable behaviors.The sanction for a first offense is loss of seating for the next conference game and deduction of points on the following year's application. The punishment for the second offense is loss of seating for all remaining games and further deduction of points on the following year's application. The third offense can result in an organization being barred from applying for student organization seating the following year.SGA Media Relations Director Leela Foley said the representatives, including Taylor, are reviewing photos and video of the student section during Saturday's shutout of the Razorbacks to assess attendance and then will take appropriate action.UA Media Relations Director Cathy Andreen confirmed the Student Organization Block Seating Committee, which includes Student Affairs and SGA representatives, is looking at the issues involved with block seating. “I am aware that this same repercussion has been suggested in the past, but has gone unenforced; however, that will not be the case this year,” Taylor wrote in his email last week. Taylor's letter is the latest in an ongoing effort at UA to improve attendance in the student section. While the university sold 99.9 percent of its home game tickets in 2012, only about 83 percent of the tickets bought by the general student population were used, according to figures provided by the Southeastern Conference. In an effort to increase attendance, Taylor and the SGA rolled out the Play for Four, Stay for Four campaign this season to encourage students to remain for the entire games. “I know it is really frustrating for people who can't get tickets to look over and see (empty seats in) the student section,” Foley said. In the letter to the organizations last week, Taylor also warned the early departures had potential implications for the future of block seating in the student section. “I have also been informed that this is a 'pilot year' for (Student Organization Seating) and if sections do not remain full, this will likely be the final year of Student Organization Seating. So, it is up to you and your organization to make the statement of whether you wish to see SOS continue into future seasons. Please encourage attendance in your section for the remainder of our home games,” Taylor wrote.